As a boxing reporter I have now covered boxing at 47 different venues in Las Vegas since 1984 ! Thank you !
I like boxing and I like its history and I enjoy the events....this column as labeled.....ENTERTAINMENT...boxing certainly that.
Friday night on the fabulous Las Vegs strip the perfect marriage of ESPN Friday night boxing at a new hotel-casino. The perfect opportunity for the Cosmopolitan to showcase its new facility, publicize itself and merge with national TV on ESPN's national boxing broadcast. Well done ! ! Everything first class at the Cosmopolitan.... the management, promotion and facility...fan friendly unlike many of its local neighbors.
Great arena for the announced sellout of 1600ish on the fourth floor of this still sparkling $4 billion dollarish facility. They had the event live on the marquee outside and labeled it on the bottom of their pool outside where they will do an ESPN 2 encore April 29th outside....can't wait. I love the Friday night fights especially when I can attend on do replay on the video at home after the event...hate to miss anything!
Oh ya....boxing...there was some and with greatly varied opinions of its quality.
The main event went 95-95, 95-95 and 97-95 ....a majority draw with ERISLANDY LARA
(15-0-1) and CARLOS MOLINA (17-4-2) fighting to junior middleweight, (154) pound draw. The event was defensive...not necessarily bad and it was competitive without a marked edge on either side. Main event guys, in shape, skilled, made weight and had a mission...not necessarily fulfilled ! ESPN analyst Teddy Atlas who also scored it a 95-95 draw ate some crow after perdicting an easy win for the unbeaten Cuban Lara.
Still it is sad that TV and live audience members were again subject to delays because of an 18th class womens basketball game on tv prior to the event...uncontrollable I guess. Five really highliteless matches on the card....you never know in any game how it will go that's why we play the games...ask Kansas basketball team.
More to come....back here April 29th on ESPN 2...we should go just for the venue and the first class operation at the Cosmopolitan.
